Andhra Pradesh forest Inventory - Assessment of Growing Stock, Stem Density, Bamboo Resources and Health of forests and Status of its Soil

Andhra Pradesh Forest Department undertook inventorisation of forest resources using Remote Sensing, GIS and GPS. 6916 sample points were generated using stratified random sampling technique duly considering forest type and forest 3 canopy density maps. The results show that the growing stock (GS) of the notified forests in AP is 232.08 M million and the stem density is 179 trees/Ha. Area under bamboo is 16.1% of the notified forest area numbering 2053.91 million in different age classes. Health of forests has been assessed in terms of status of regeneration, incidences of fire, illicit felling, grazing, weeds, pests, grasses and soil erosion. Forest soils have been assessed in terms of soil depth, stoniness, humus, organic carbon and pH. Comparison with earlier studies shows that there is quantitative as well as qualitative depletion in the growing stock in last 3 dacades. There is more GS in lower diameter classes and less in higher diameter classes. Large area of forest is deficient in regeneration and is affected by soil erosion. Thematic maps on 18 parameters have been generated division wise.